Re: What's the etymology of ketchup/catsup?

Everyone, thanks for your input!

--- John Cowan <jcowan@...> wrote:
> Danny Wier wrote:
>
> > My question is natlang-related: what is the etymology
> > of "ketchup" or "catsup" (Hindi, right?), and why the two different
> spellings?
>
> It's from Minnan Chinese ke tsiap 'fish sauce', and was originally highly
> similar
> to that Greek fermented fish sauce, the name of which I forget.  Tomatoes of
> course
> are a New World vegetable and didn't get into the act until later.
Someone also mentioned Worchestershire sauce, which is one of my favorite
condiments.  I had no idea it contained anchovy paste though!  (And I've worked
at pizza outlets; anchovies are some nasty little things.  Canned fish in
general is not my speed.

The best selling Worchestershire (pronounced [wUst@:S@:]) sauce in America, Lea
& Perrins, has these as ingredients:

vinegar, molasses, high fructose corn syrup, » anchovies «, water, hydrolized
soy and corn protein, onions, tamarinds, salt, garlic, cloves, chili peppers,
natural flavorings, shallots

(i.e. about a third of the ingredients for "Techian ketchup")

Your garden variety (no pun intended) tomato ketchup contains tomato paste,
vinegar, sugar, salt, onion powder, red food coloring, etc.  It's not hard to
make from scratch, but who actually *makes* ketchup from scratch?!  (Salsa is a
hell of a lot better.  Then again, you can make Techian ketchup by mixing
Worchestershire sauce, Tabasco (TM) Habanero sauce and hot picante sauce.
(Make sure you get hot, not mild, because no red-blooded Techian eats anything
mild.)

DaW.

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